Fairfax County’s new, permanent ‘LOVE’ sign kicked off its 11-stop tour today (May 9) with a ribbon-cutting in the Plaza at Tysons Corner Center.
The new sign celebrates the 50th anniversary of the “Virginia is for Lovers” slogan and National Travel and Tourism Week.
The sign will be on display until May 19 at the Plaza at Tysons Corner Center. It is also scheduled to be displayed at Caboose Commons in Merrifield from June 26 to July 1 during the “Summer of LOVE” tour.
In August, the sign will head to its permanent home at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton where artists will bedazzle the letters.
Fairfax County received a $10,000 grant from the Virginia Tourism Corporation for the tour.
The local Korean eatery Mixing Bowl and the local branch of the organic salad chain Sweet Leaf Cafe are both closed in Tysons Corner Center.
Since 2012, Mixing Bowl served Korean-style tacos, wraps and bibimbap in the first-floor food court. The restaurant offered a variety of vegetarian and vegan-friendly dishes for less than $10.
A wrap around the front of the store shows that the restaurant is soon to be replaced by a new Falafel Inc. — a D.C. based restaurant that donates a percentage of its profits to support refugees.
But just around the corner, there are no signs for what’s coming next for Sweet Leaf Cafe. The windows still tell visitors to sign up for the app, and the woodwork above the doorframe still faintly shows where the restaurant sign had been hanging.
In the meantime, there’s also Sweet Leaf Cafes at 262 Maple Avenue E. in Vienna and 1359 Chain Bridge Road in McLean. For anyone else looking for vegan or vegetarian options, here is a by-no-means-comprehensive list.
The Weekly Planner is a roundup of interesting events coming up over the next week in the Tysons area.
We’ve scoured the web for events of note in Tysons, Vienna, Merrifield, McLean and Falls Church. Know of any we’ve missed? Tell us!
Tuesday (May 7)
- Town of Vienna Election — 6 a.m.-7 p.m. at the Vienna Community Center (120 Cherry Street SE.) — There is a competitive race for the Town Council in Vienna, mainly focusing on the scale of new developments.
- “The Guest Book” Reading and Signing — 7:30-9:30 p.m. at Barnes & Nobles (7851 Tysons Corner Center) — Sarah Blake, author of the historical novel The Guest Book, will read from the book and sign copies at the Tysons Corner Center Barnes and Noble.
Thursday (May 9)
- Innovation Breakfast: The Opportunity in Opportunity Zones — 8-10:30 a.m. at Valo Park (7950 Jones Branch Drive) — The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia is hosting a business breakfast looking at opportunity zones, tracts of land targeted by state and federal governments for economic development. The breakfast will look at where they exist and what can be accomplished with them. Registration is $40 and includes breakfast.
- Urban Forest Perfume Making Workshop — 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Brandbox Lounge (Tysons Corner Center) — For Mother’s Day, the Urban Forest Perfume Company is setting up a workshop looking at the art of plant-based perfumes. Participants will get a class in understanding synthetic versus plant ingredients, perfume notes and basic formulas. Light food and wine will also be served.
- Vienna Community Brainstorming on Public Parking in Commercial Corridor — 6-7 p.m. at the Town Hall Council Chambers (127 Center Street S.) — The Town Business Liaison Committee and Mayor Laurie DiRocco will host a community conversation about parking. This is an opportunity to gather further feedback from business owners and refine solutions proposed at the March 14 community meeting.
- The Civil War in Northern Virginia — 7:30-9 p.m. at the Patrick Henry Library (101 Maple Ave E.) — Historian William S. Connery, author of “Civil War Northern Virginia 1861” will host a discussion of notable events and battles throughout Northern Virginia after the firing on Fort Sumter.
Friday (May 10)
- Young Adult Dungeons and Dragons — 3:30-6 p.m. at the Patrick Henry Library (101 Maple Ave E.) — A group of players are putting together an all-experience levels Dungeons and Dragons group aimed at grades 7-12.
Saturday (May 11)
- All the Way Live — 1-2 p.m. at the Alen Theatre (1234 Ingleside Ave.) — The history-through-hip-hop children’s show is coming to the Alden Theatre in the McLean Community Center. Tickets range from $10-$15.
Sunday (May 12)
- Mother’s Day Brunch — 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at Cheesetique Mosaic (2985 District Ave.) — Cheesetique in the Mosaic District is hosting a Mother’s Day event featuring a mimosa bucket, green eggs and ham, french toast, and lobster mac and cheese. The shop will also be open with special gifts for mothers. Reservations are encouraged.
- Mother’s Day Brunch — 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at Inca Social (2670 Avenir Place) — Inca Social is hosting a Latin-style brunch on Sunday with cocktails and special brunch items. Children under 6 years old eat for free.
- Listen to Your Mother’s Jokes — 5-7 p.m. at Tysons Biergarten (8346 Leesburg Pike) — In a special comedy show, the Tysons Biergarten is hosting local standup comedians who are also mothers. Seating starts at 5 p.m. with the show starting at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10.
Photo via Facebook
A sleep company will soon spring into a new spot in Tysons Corner Center.
Signs up say that Casper will fill the former spot of handbag and luggage store Vera Bradley, which closed on April 26 on the mall’s second level by Macy’s.
Casper sells mattresses, pillows, bed frames, bedding and sleep accessories, including a foam dog bed.
Nearby stores that sell Casper products include Target’s locations in the Mosaic District (2905 S. District Avenue) and Falls Church (500 S. Washington Street).
Casper will join another mattress store in the mall. Shoppers can find Sleep Number on the first level by Nordstrom.
The Fairfax County Police Department Internal Affairs Bureau is reviewing an incident last week after members of the public complained officers “brutalized” and “threatened” two teenagers.
FCPD released a video yesterday (Tuesday) to dispute online claims that a teenage girl was “body slammed” during an arrest in Tysons Corner Center last Thursday (April 25.) Police Chief Edwin C. Roessler Jr. directed the Internal Affairs Bureau to review the incident, according to the press release, and said the Police Auditor will conduct an independent review.
The video shows a man pulling a woman into a store while holding her hands behind her back. After what appears to be a struggle, she then falls to the ground.
Police say during the incident a 19-year-old woman “threw down her water bottle and dumped her drink all over the store’s floor and walked away” after her 22-year-old friend was caught shoplifting and issued a summons.
Police say the 19-year-old “began screaming and acting disorderly” when police approached her, and that she attempted to break free from police after being brought back into the store.
“To gain control and prevent her from harming herself or others, she was taken to the ground by the arresting officer and finally handcuffed,” noted the police report last week.
People criticized the police’s response on Facebook, saying officers “brutalized” and “threatened” the teenagers and bullied bystanders.
Police issued the 19-year-old a summons for disorderly conduct and obstruction of justice, and mall management banned her from Tysons Corner Center for one year, according to the report.
A 27-year-old Fairfax man was also arrested for disorderly conduct after he “aggressively approached officers, cursing at them and attempting to interfere with their investigation,” the report says.
File photo
Moge Tee expects to open in about two months in Tysons Corner Center as part of the bubble tea shop’s massive expansion plans for this year.
The upcoming Tysons location is one of several new shops in Virginia, Lin Luo, who handles franchise development, told Tysons Reporter. Moge Tee held a grand opening for its new store at 6122 Arlington Blvd in Falls Church last Sunday (April 21). The bubble tea shop also recently opened in D.C.’s Glover Park neighborhood.
This year alone, Moge Tee aims to open 40-50 stores across the U.S., including Atlanta, Miami and Los Angeles, according to a Moge Tee presentation sent to Tysons Reporter. So far, more than 20 stores have been leased or are under construction, the presentation said.
Moge Tee will occupy a 1,000 square-foot-space between the Pandora and Steinway stores on the first level near Nordstrom. The menu for its current New York City locations includes parfaits, coffee, cheese tea, milk tea, fruit tea and Uji matcha — a type of green tea.
Wishing Tree, which offers short-term childcare, is on a brief hiatus from its Tysons Corner Center spot.
Unlike traditional childcare centers, Wishing Tree offers short-term services for parents who need a few kid-free hours, with options ranging from after-school programs to a “Grocery Drop” for kid-free shopping.
Its website says that the location on the second floor of the mall near Lord and Taylor is “reopening in August 2019.” Writing in the windows indicate that the Tysons location has Legos, spinning top toys by Beyblades, crafts and board games for kids’ entertainment, along with a summer camp for ages 8-12.
The childcare center has another location in Ashburn, which offers care for ages 3-12.
A new mall kiosk at Tysons Corner Center now lets shoppers buy products with cannabidiol, a natural remedy commonly known as CBD.
CBD is one of the chemical compounds found in marijuana plants and has quickly gained prominence in the health and wellness world for reportedly helping with pain and anxiety.
While possessing and selling marijuana is illegal in Virginia, except for approved medical marijuana use, state laws remain hazy concerning over-the-counter sales of CBD oil.
Located on the first floor between Zumiez and Forever 21, Create Bright Days offers a variety of CBD-infused products, including $27.99 pet treats, $24.99 massage oil, $124.99 vape e-liquid and $39.99 body butter moisturizer.
The self-described boutique store for CBD products claims on its website that the oil helps with pain relief, seizures, anxiety, cancer and reducing the risk of diabetes.
“Products on this site are not meant to cure or treat any ailment,” the site says. “The FDA has not approved these products.”
Rite Aid, Walgreens Raising Age to Buy Tobacco — “Beginning Sept. 1, Walgreens will stop selling tobacco products to people who aren’t legally allowed to drink alcohol. Rite Aid will do the same, and plans to implement the policy at all stores by July 22.” Rite Aid has two locations in McLean. [McLean Patch]
WWII Vet Lauded at Earl’s — “A World War II veteran born in 1919 is spending his centennial birthday year on the road traveling to all 50 states and the nation’s capital on a journey he calls the ‘No Regrets Tour’ … While at dinner Friday night [April 19], [the reporter] witnessed all the patrons and staff at Earl’s Kitchen and Bar in Tysons Corner give him a standing ovation when his son and daughter brought him to the restaurant.” [ABC7]
Absentee Voting Began Friday — Absentee voting started on Friday (April 26) for the June 11 primary elections statewide. People can vote absentee in-person at their local voter registration office or by mail. [Virginia Department of Elections]
Vienna Students Honor Fallen Warriors — Madison High students and staff members “cut yellow ribbons and attached the name tag of a fallen warrior: one for each service member killed in-theater since September 11, 2001… The ribbons and their attached tags will be suspended from the rafters at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial at the gates of Arlington National Cemetery.” [Fairfax County Public Schools]
Three Arrested at Tysons Corner Center — “On Thursday, Fairfax County police said they arrested 22-year-old Molly Helmer, of Annandale, and accused her of shoplifting from a Spencer’s store… As Helmer left the store with friends, 19-year-old Lia Chen, of Annandale, was accused of throwing her water bottle down and spilling her drink all over the store’s floor, police said… During the incident a third person was arrested, 27-year-old Steven Bun, of Fairfax. Police said Bun ‘aggressively approached officers, cursing at them and attempting to interfere with their investigation.’ Bun was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.” [WUSA9]
Veronica Youngblood Not Appearing in Court — “Fairfax County prosecutors were frustrated that the Tysons mom, 33-year-old Veronica Youngblood was absent again for court. The judge appeared to be, as well, telling the courtroom, ‘This case has got to move on.’ Youngblood is accused of shooting and killing her two daughters inside their Fairfax County apartment in August 2018.” [ABC7]
Development Hits Height Issues — “It may not be the largest senior living facility unit-wise, but The Mather will almost certainly be the region’s tallest. And that is a problem for Fairfax County planners, who have recommended denial of the application citing three reasons: its height — the building will rise to a maximum 285 feet — design and open space plan.” [Washington Business Journal]
Growing makeup brand Morphe Cosmetics opened its new Tysons Corner Center store about an hour ago today (Friday).
Based in California, Morphe is known for its eye make-up and brushes.
The newly opened store is on the second level next to Lush — another cosmetics store — and sells mostly Morphe products, along with brands like Eye Kandy, Iconic London and Jeffree Star.
Some items this reporter spotted included $15 Morphe eye shadow palettes, $8 Morphe lip glosses and $7.50 Eye Kandy glitter.
Morphe’s opening at the mall adds to its half of a dozen stores in the D.C.-area and is part of the brand’s large-scale expansion.
